Good evening, my wonderful friends! It’s 9:20 PM on a perfectly cool and cozy Saturday night here in Khenifra, and my kitchen smells like pure comfort. I’m so excited to share the recipe for what might be the most decadent and satisfying soup on the planet: Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Imagine everything you love about a perfectly fluffy, loaded baked potato—the sharp cheddar, the crispy bacon, the tangy sour cream—transformed into a rich, velvety, and utterly irresistible soup. It’s the ultimate comfort food that balances indulgent, restaurant-quality flavor with the ease of a simple, one-pot homemade meal.
Serving Versatility
This glorious soup is a hearty meal all on its own, perfect for a chilly evening. Serve it in a big, cozy bowl, make it extra special in a sourdough bread bowl, or pair a smaller cup with a crisp green salad or a simple sandwich for a classic, comforting combo.
Full Recipe: My Go-To Loaded Potato Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Servings: 6-8 Calories: Approximately 480 calories per serving
Ingredients
- 8 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk (whole milk is best for creaminess)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and diced
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- For Garnish: Sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheddar, extra crumbled bacon
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until it’s brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and set it on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
- Add the butter to the bacon grease in the pot. Once melted, add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. This will help thicken your soup.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the diced potatoes to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
- Reduce the heat to low. Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to partially mash the soup to your desired consistency. I love a mix of creamy and chunky!
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and the shredded cheddar cheese until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is smooth.
- Stir in half of the crispy bacon. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining bacon, extra cheddar, and fresh green onions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick preparation: You can have this rich and decadent soup on the table in under an hour!
- Budget-friendly ingredients: It uses simple, accessible ingredients to create a soup that tastes like it came from your favorite restaurant, like the famous Panera Loaded Baked Potato Soup.
- Big, cozy flavor: This is the ultimate loaded potato bacon soup—creamy, cheesy, smoky, and deeply satisfying.
- Nutritional value: It’s a hearty, filling meal. For a loaded potato soup healthy twist, see the FAQs!
- Customizability: This recipe is a perfect canvas for all your best potato soup ideas, from different cheeses to various toppings.
Cultural or Cooking Technique Note
This recipe is a beautiful example of American comfort food at its finest. The concept of a “loaded” baked potato, piled high with indulgent toppings like cheese, bacon, and sour cream, is a beloved classic. This soup brilliantly translates that entire experience into a single, cohesive dish. The technique of creating a simple roux with butter and flour at the beginning is a classic French method for thickening sauces and soups, giving this down-home, Loaded Baked Potato Soup Paula Deen style recipe a wonderfully velvety and stable base.
Serving Suggestions
- The Classic Loaded Bowl: Don’t hold back on the toppings! A generous pile of extra sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, and sliced green onions is essential.
- In a Bread Bowl: For a truly impressive and delicious presentation, serve the soup inside a hollowed-out sourdough bread bowl.
- Soup & Sandwich Night: Pair a cup of this rich soup with a simple grilled cheese or a BLT for the ultimate comfort meal.
- A Touch of Green: Serve with a simple side salad with a tangy vinaigrette to cut through the richness of the soup.
Pro Tips for Success
- Bacon Fat is Flavor: Don’t discard all the bacon grease! Using a tablespoon or two to sauté your onions adds an incredible layer of smoky, savory flavor right from the start.
- Use Starchy Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the best choice for this soup. Their high starch content breaks down beautifully, creating a naturally creamy and fluffy texture.
- Shred Your Own Cheese: For the smoothest, most perfectly melted cheese, always buy a block of sharp cheddar and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has additives that prevent it from melting as well.
- Temper Your Sour Cream: To ensure your sour cream incorporates smoothly without curdling, you can “temper” it. Place the sour cream in a small bowl and whisk in a ladleful of the hot soup before stirring the mixture back into the main pot off the heat.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I generally don’t recommend freezing this soup, as the potatoes and dairy can separate and become grainy upon thawing. To reheat, warm the soup gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of milk if it has become too thick.
Closing Paragraph
I am so excited for you to make a pot of this incredibly decadent Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup. It’s one of those classic tater soup recipes that just never disappoints and is guaranteed to be a hit with your entire family. Please give it a try, get creative with your toppings, and be sure to come back and leave a rating and a comment to let me know how much you loved it!
🎀 Final Thoughts
This soup is my ultimate “treat yourself” meal. It’s so rich, so comforting, and so full of everything delicious. It’s the perfect thing to make on a chilly night when you just want to curl up and enjoy something that feels like a big, warm hug. I hope it brings you as much joy as it brings me.